Star Trek: Paladin Book 1
by USMCRickaway
Summary: New ship new crew familiar times


Star Trek: Paladin  
  
A NOVEL BY: JONATHAN RICKAWAY  
  
Chapter One  
  
An old man dressed in a purple Admirals tunic stood, leaned against a desk that was situated in the large classroom. He was obviously concentrating on the very old book in his hands. His brows furrowed as he turned the worn, yellowed pages in the ancient tome. Outside the classroom a bell started to ring. Within a few moments young people in black jumpsuits with red shoulders and necks, came into the room by ones, twos, and even whole groups. Most every one of them was talking. Then the bell rang again, this time a few people ran into the room so as not to be late. The students got quiet as they noticed the old admiral was not doing anything but read his book. The man dog-eared the page of his book, closed it, and sat it on the table. As he looked over the classroom with his intense blue-eyed stare, the students who had not stopped talking soon did.  
  
"Welcome-" He said, his voice strong despite his obvious age. "my name is Admiral Textron Trellis, I was asked to teach this class, which (for you that do not know) is called 'History of Legendary StarFleet Vessels', by Admiral Destine. The rules of this class are: One, you are not to be disrespectful-" He pointed a long finger at the class as he peered around at them. "Two, always be on time-" This time he looked at those unfortunate few students that had to run into class. "Three, you must learn- " Some of the kids looked like they were about to faint, he was having such an effect on them. "Lastly, number four,...you must have fun." At this he grinned showing surprisingly white teeth, then his image flickered. the old, bent, wrinkled frame disappeared and was replaced by a younger, handsome man. A series of gasps went around the room followed by hurried whispers. " I am sure that some of you are wondering about that old guy, huh?" he was still smiling as he glanced at the talking people to calm them down. "the old man you just saw disappear, was..a...hologram!, yes, that's right, a hologram." He started to laugh. The students in the audience visibly began to relax. "The man was fake, but, I want you to know I, for one, am real." Again he smiled, and several young girls blushed.  
  
"Before we start on the lesson I would like to introduce some things about myself." He said. "My real name is Kieran Ibanez, I am thirty-eight, I have been in StarFleet for twenty years, I am married and have been for seven years-" a couple of groans graced the room, followed by a few frowns. "I am really a Captain in StarFleet but I hope to be an Admiral in a few years, and I am in charge of a ship which is being refitted in spacedock."  
  
He continued "Ok, I guess I will give you a little background about myself, lets see what have I not already told you.you've got my name, I am married, a captain, .uh ok I know! I joined StarFleet when I was 18 with a few friends, um, I was born in Scotland, near Holyrood, oh I know what I can tell you!" he said obviously delighted at his finally finding something to say. "Or rather you can tell me, who knows anything about me?" He looked at the assembled people for a while before a thin, gawky boy on the front row started to look to the right and left of him. He then stared at Kieran and raised his hand. "Yes son, do you know anything about little ole me?" said Kieran with a big grin on his face. "go ahead and tell me all that you know." The boy bit his lip and thought for a moment, then he began to talk in a very shaky and quiet voice.  
  
" uh, um... I have actually studied your career as a hobby." He said sheepishly, "well as much of it that isn't classified material I mean, much information on your first ship is classified, as well as most of the crew dossiers, but I do know that you were in charge of the U.S.S. Paladin when it was first launched, and I also know that you were there when it was rumored to have been destroyed." He said really fast and very precisely.  
  
"That is very good son, but why do you know so much about me in particular?" Said Kieran still smiling.  
  
" Well sir, I based my answer on the fact that you are indeed Kieran Ibanez, and that you were offered command of the Paladin before she was completed, and that you were the commanding officer on deck when she was destroyed." He smiled as he finished his long sentence and then he sat down.  
  
"Very good!, I did not think that anyone would manage to pick up all of the facts I had littered into this class so far but you amaze me by knowing more than you probably should." His eyebrows were raised appreciatively. "son, what is your name?" The young boy spoke out.  
  
"My name is Bruce Pat Thweatt the tenth, but my friends call me 'Einstein'." A couple of people around him nodded and smiled.  
  
"OK! Now that our main question has been answered, here is a picture of the first Paladin." He punched a button on the computer sitting on his desk, and instantly a six-foot long hologram of a ship shimmered into view. "This-" he said gesturing to the floating vessel, "is a Sovereign class vessel, though this particular one was customized with various prototype technologies, namely in propulsion, weapons and shields. The Paladin's registry code is NCC-21106. Maximum cruising speed was warp 9.65651, and her standard crew capacity was six-hundred-and sixty."  
  
"I was ordered to teach you about the very first adventure the young crew ever had from the only perspective the Captain can have."  
  
Then he began from beginning.....  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
A lone person stood on a mesa in the middle of the Mojave dessert. He was a tall man, with short brown hair, above his blue eyes. He was thin and had a degree of playfulness about him that, on a seconds notice could turn into a seriousness that astounded even his closest friends. He was dressed in a standard StarFleet duty uniform, but with the jacket removed. Instead of the standard uniform jacket, he had on a brown leather one. On top of his head he was wearing a brown fedora. There was a backpack on his shoulders and he had a beautifully crafted sword stuck in a scabbard at his waist. He just stood there watching the setting sun turn the sky shades of pink, red, and purple that make a visit to the desert worthwhile.  
  
There was a rumble in the distance that eventually gave form to a shuttlecraft speeding towards the man. The man did not even turn around to acknowledge the shuttle that set down on the natural landing pad of the mesa. He only turned around when he heard the doors at the aft of the shuttle lower into a ramp.  
  
A young girl was started to walk down the ramp. The man only stared at her not even looking away to see a nearby scorpion kill a lizard that had stupidly tried to eat it.  
  
"Captain Ibanez?" said the girl inquisitively.  
  
"I am Kieran Ibanez." he said answering her question with a statement.  
  
"I am here to ferry you on your tour of your ship at the Mars Shipyards." she said, all the while trying to be polite to the stoic person before her. She looked him up and down wondering if this man could really be a StarFleet captain.  
  
"Well then Ensign," he said in a friendly tone. "will you be driving or shall I?" at that he gave her a lopsided grin and walked past her up the ramp, dropping his backpack and sword belt by the door. The Ensign stood and thought about his comment for a minute then she spun on her heel and followed him into the craft slapping the door control as she went.  
  
The scorpion had made its way over to the shuttle and had climbed into the starboard impulse vent in search of warm refuge from the desert evening chill. It did not have a moment to realize its mistake before it was vaporized by the hot plasma that propelled the shuttle into space.  
  
The trip in the shuttle craft was a long one, because it had been made a rule that warp travel is not permitted inside a solar system unless in an emergency situation, so it was limited to impulse travel which, while fast compared to old rocket engines of the 20th century, was slow compared to the faster-than-light travel of warp drive. Therefore, a trip that normally would have taken a few minutes was drawn out to a few hours.  
  
In those few hours that the trip took, Captain Ibanez passed the time by putting on his uniform jacket, making small talk with the Ensign, and polishing his sword until the greenish blade gleamed from the light in the shuttle. The two peoples conversation was interrupted by the traffic controller's voice from the Utopia Planate Shipyards over Mars.  
  
"This is Mars control to Shuttle Trepidation, please state the nature of your intended destination." the controller said, clearly male but the race of the person, human or exotic, was un-decipherable due to the efficiency of the universal translator.  
  
"This is the shuttle Trepidation we are on route to rendezvous with the Paladin, cargo is personnel security clearance code 32-313-98-904, repeat security clearance code is 32- 313-98-904, please acknowledge control." said the Ensign.  
  
"Control to Trepidation security code and flight plan acknowledged, safe skies to you, control out." at that the line went dead and we continued on our flight to the Paladin.  
  
The rest of that cruise went like clockwork, without a hitch, and was over in a few minutes, but those few minutes will remain some of the most memorable in my life. I had heard other captains talking about how they will never forget the first time they saw their ship, how captivating that moment was. At first I thought that they were crazy, but then I was able to see first hand what they were talking about. Our shuttle rounded some dense scaffolding while I was looking at my instrument panel in front of me, beside me Ensign Maurice let out a small gasp. Wanting to see what the problem was I glanced up at the viewport, and then the glance turned stare. She was beautiful, I had never seen the combination of sheer beauty and raw speed and power combined into one entity. I had been informed that the ships appearance would be a deviation of the standard Sovereign class hull, but this was no slight unnoticeable change, the ships warp nacelles were longer and thinner than the standard type by about 30 meters, also instead of pulsing with a blue glow, these nacelles shown with a green light. The nacelle struts were shorter so the nacelles were almost even with the top of the engineering hull. Also I noticed that the engineering section was smaller but not by much. Another modification that I noted was the saucer module. It was longer than the standard saucer, it also had two extra port and starboard phaser strips in addition to the main strip. This ship had the power of a battlecruiser, mated with the speed of a high-end torpedo, with a little of the beauty and grace of the old W.W.II vintage Mustang fighter planes. I was in love with her, there was no doubt about it.  
  
"Captain," Said Mrs. Maurice. ",we have been cleared for transporter activation, they are ready to beam you over sir." I nodded and stood up from the copilot's seat. I then walked to the back of the ship and picked up my belongings. I tied the sword belt to the back pack and slung the pack over his shoulder. Then I walked to a storage locker and pulled out my jacket and fedora. I put the hat on and tied the jacket's sleeves around my waist.  
  
"Goodbye Ensign, it has been a pleasure." he told her. And then I tipped my hat to her as the transporter beam spirited me away to my first command.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"Welcome aboard sir." Said a lieutenant who was standing behind the main transporter console.  
  
" Thankyou," I said in reply "Has the rest of my gear been delivered to my quarters?"  
  
"I am not sure sir, but I could check if you want me to-"  
  
"No," I interrupted "that's all right, it doesn't really matter, I mean we are only going to be gone a week!"  
  
I laughed out the last part to hide my former outburst. I smiled at him as I walked out of the door and into the brightly lit corridor. As I strode down the hall of his brand new ship, I noticed the characteristics of it. The halls were brightly lit, with computer access panels installed every few bulkheads. The carpet was a dull green, with grayish-blue trimming, the walls were the same dull blue color. The various doors, were easily distinguished from the bulkheads around them, by their Beige color. As I was walking the halls I realized that I had no clue, as to which way I was going. So I stopped and asked a passing crew member. She stared at me blankly, as if I were the stupidest person in the galaxy for a moment, then she smiled and said, " you must be new to the Sovereign class vessel aren't you sir?" I nodded my affirmative that I had not been on a vessel of this size before. She started to grin, obviously wanting to laugh, but she restrained herself from the impulse. She told me to follow her. After about twelve seconds of walking down the corridor, she showed me the turbo lift, I must have missed it earlier by mistaking it for another door. I expressed my thanks and the crew member went on her way. By now I was embarrassed, but I was also glad to be on my way to my bridge. I stepped inside the turbolift and spoke my destination aloud. The computer beeped at me and then I was on my way.  
  
The Turbolift seemed to have been malfunctioning slightly for it was going about half the speed that it should. I filed a mantainence request through the access panel on the inside. The trip was so slow that I was about to fall asleep standing up, when the Turbolift jolted to a halt. I hurriedly composed myself, and straightened my uniform as the doors slid open, I lost all of my professionalism, as I made my first step onto my bridge.  
  
The room was deserted, so I did not worry when my mouth dropped open like a loose shutter in the middle of a windstorm. The room had light brown carpet, darker than beige but lighter than dirt brown, with green along the edges, the lighting was bright but not painfully so. My command chair, it was the single piece of furniture in the room I noticed for about ten minutes. The chair was brown leather with a high back. I walked over to it and stepped up on the low platform. I ran my hand along its contours, totally mesmerized with the thought that I commanded a whole ship from this single seat.  
  
The controls on the arm were dark but in a day or so would be all light up, allowing me access to a whole plethora of functions.  
  
"Well, aren't you going to sit down?" came a light masculine voice from my left.  
  
I whipped around and grabbed at my sword, which was on my backpack. I drew it lightiningly fast bringing it around to a defensive position. That was when I got my first good look at my 'assailant'.  
  
Will Hoagland, my first officer and one of my best friends, was leaned against a bank of consoles next to the science station. He had his arms crossed and was grinning at me. I realized that I must look very stupid with my blade in hand ready to lunge at my friend. I jammed it back in the sheath and turned to face him.  
  
"Welcome aboard Commander." I said while grinning at him.  
  
We converged and I clasped him in a hug. "It's so good to see you Will." I said jubilantly.  
  
"Its good to see you too Kieran." He replied.  
  
"I can't believe you actually got your command before you turned twenty- eight."  
  
"I can't believe it either, after the accident aboard the Hunley I was assigned to Earth to await a new vessel. When I woke up one morning Admiral Nechayev was at my door. She told me that they had a special ship and she wanted me to command it."  
  
"That's a great re-cap Kieran, I am glad you got the job, now we finally get the chance to serve together like we did in the Holodecks at the academy!" said Will. We laughed as we left the room.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Helm, signal spacedock tell them to release the moorings, prepare to switch to internal power." I told the girl sitting at the Helm station.  
  
"Aye-sir, Captain." She replied as she typed the request into the computer.  
  
I moved to my command chair and Will sat in the secondary chair on my right. Rebeccah D'Bruce, my second in command sat on my left. She also doubles as the ships doctor. She is a very attractive woman with red-gold hair and a wonderful physique. She went to the Academy a year after Will and I and we became friends through mutual classes. I glanced at my operations officer who was stationed to my left and behind me. Elijah Hixson was stationed there. He controls everything from sensors to Life support on the ship from his area. He has long, very curly hair tied back in a ponytail. He is a jolly man who may seem eccentric to many at times but he is dependable and faithful to his friends and officers. He nodded his affirmative that the moorings have been severed.  
  
"Bridge to Engineering," I said as I keyed the intercom button on my armrest, "Prepare for full engine power on my command, will I have it?"  
  
"Aye captain, impulse engines, maneuvering thrusters and warp engines are standing-by we are prepared to engage full power on your mark." Came the voice of Lieutenant Commander Luke Hall, my chief engineer. His open curiosity and inventiveness made him rise through the ranks quickly but he refused his own engineering ship to serve with me.  
  
"Ensign Henderson," I said to the woman at the helm, "take us out."  
  
"Aye Captain Ibanez." She said as she keyed her helm console.  
  
The background hum of the vessel rose slightly with the power that was being diverted to the thrusters. The ship glided slowly and majestically out of the protective girders of the space dock at the Utopia Planitia Shipyards.  
  
"We have cleared the docking bay captain." Said Ensign Henderson.  
  
"Thankyou ensign, proceed to full impulse starting at one-fifth and proceeding in fifth increments until we are at full. Outsystem vector please."  
  
"Aye captain, vector and speed locked in." she replied. I stood up and walked towards the conference room door to the left of the bridge. As I closed on it, it swished open.  
  
"All senior officers please accompany me." Then I entered the room.  
  
I had just made it to the head chair at one end of the table when my officers started to file in. I was surprised that their replacements had arrived so fast, but then I realized that many of them were on the bridge at the aft systems monitoring stations. They filed in and sat at the assigned spots at the table.  
  
"Computer, turn off all recording systems in the conference room, command priority, and seal conference room door to all non-Senior officer crew."  
  
"Conference room security systems deactivated, door sealed." Came the feminine voice through the speaker system.  
  
"I know that many of us have just met," said while glancing at the helm officer, my navigator, and my counselor. ", but we have been assigned orders that will make us get to know each other quickly." I said. There were glances around the table and some fidgeting. "We are ordered to enter the wormhole at DS9 and proceed to the gamma quadrant where we will make passes on Dominion military installations and test their defenses. We have reports that they may be gearing up for war and StarFleet needs a new ship with a different sensor signature than any ship before it. That is what the Paladin was built for. Her unorthodox nacelle placement and configuration, give her a different sensor signature. At DS9 we will dock and receive a load of federation marines. They will be assigned to this ship till the completion of this mission. We are to tell the crew none of this until we are in the Gamma quadrant and are out of Comm range of other vessels. Once there we will begin silent running and proceed to the Kintaris sector to set up a base of operations. Once the base is set up we will head back to the wormhole and send for the Defiant and an Aegean class cruiser. After they are through the wormhole a construction ship and an Iwo Jima class cruiser will come through. We will then proceed to the base we set up and then continue building. The rest of the mission will be revealed to us then. I have a code-locked message from command that the captains of all four military ships have to be present to open. Any questions?" I looked around at the faces of the men and women whom I would be serving with and going into battle with for the next few months at least.  
  
"Sir," said Will, " is StarFleet worried about war with the Dominion?"  
  
"Yes, I believe so. We have been receiving reports Cardassian fleet buildups and we know that the Dominion trades with them regularly. We are going to discover if indeed the Dominion is gearing up for war as well." " Any more questions?, No?, good now we can get on to the unclassified portion of this meeting."  
  
"I would like to introduce every body to each other, on my right is Commander William Hoagland my First officer." Will waved and said hello. "On my left is Lieutenant Commander Rebeccah D'Bruce my Second officer and the ship's Chief Medical officer." She smiled and said hi as well. "Next to Will is Lieutenant Commander Xavier Cot'en, the Weapons officer and security chief. Most people call him 'X' though." Xavier raised his tall head and looked around, his blonde hair long and unkempt but he is an athletic person who has a love for tennis. He is also taller than I am by about an inch. "Next to Rebeccah is Elijah Hixson, He will serve as the operations officer for this ship." Elijah greeted himself. "Next to him is Lieutenant Jimmy Mitchell our Sciences officer." Jimmy looked about the room through his large antique style glasses, he is a lean man with an oversized head but an excellent intellect. "Next to Xavier is the Helmsman. I have not met her before but her name is Ensign Diana Henderson. She is one of the best at what she does and comes highly recommended." The small blonde woman said hello. "Next to Jimmy is our Chief Engineer Lieutenant Commander Luke Hall." He waved. " Now we are to Lieutenant Shainna Debauch the counselor." A very pretty black haired woman with almond shaped eyes nodded. "Lastly we have Josh Floursheim, our navigator." The big bodied blonde haired man said hello too. "Since there is no more business we need to discuss right now, I would like you to go to your stations and go over their readiness, if you have to tell your crew chiefs that we will be running battle drills. Mrs. Henderson, set course for Deep Space 9. Dismissed." At that we all filed out of the room and went about our duties.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"Bridge to Captain Ibanez." came Will's voice over the Comm panel.  
  
"Kieran here, what is it?"  
  
"We are entering the Bajoran system and are proceeding to DS9."  
  
"Thankyou Will, notify me when we are in docking range of DS9 I will come to the bridge then."  
  
"Aye Captain, Bridge out."  
  
I stood up and walked to the replicator. "Root beer, no ice." Immediately the beverage materialized inside the little alcove. I picked it up and sipped it. I had just spent the last few hours touring the ship and reviewing the readiness reports from my section heads. I was fully confident that my vessel would be ready for any trial that would come our way. I had a good crew under me, they knew their duty and did it without audible complaint. I was proud to be captain over them.  
  
I had just finished the rootbeer when the bridge called again. I put on my uniform jacket and made my way to the bridge.  
  
When I arrived Will stood up and moved to his chair. "DS9 says they are ready to begin transportation of cargo and personnel." He told me.  
  
" Signal them that it is fine to begin transport."  
  
I called up the cargo manifest on my chair's mini-viewer. 300 personnel, 30 cases of pulse rifles 20 rifles per case (600 total), 50 cases hand phasers 40 units each (200 total), 40 cases of blast armor 30 suits each (1,200 total), 200 Quantum torpedoes, 2 shield Generators, 100 sheets space armor, 1 inertial damper, 5 class A life-support generators, 1 prototype sensor suite, 80 crates of rations, and 20 workbee type shuttles. The number of hand weapons was astonishing but then I realized that they would also supply the three-hundred marines that were coming on board.  
  
"X," I said to Xavier. ", get the security personnel to unload all the phasers that will fit into our four armories, and then load what ever else they can into the lockers in the major sections. I want three rifles and four hand phasers in the bridge locker, and a rifle at each station. Also, I need you to issue hand phasers to all personell. We will be at full combat readiness from now on, no-one is to be unarmed. Security personell will also patrol the corridors. I want them to have rifles as well as the hand weapons."  
  
I touched a button on my chair and a panel fell open on the side of the chair, just big enough for a hand phaser. Then I touched another button and a panel slid open in the floor behind my chair and a rack for three rifles slid out. "Also load phasers into these panels."  
  
"yes-sir."  
  
The whole process took almost fourteen hours to complete but all armories and vital sections were stocked with weapons. Also our cargo bays were filled with material for the space base. We were ready to go through the wormhole and into the Gamma quadrant.  
  
"Helm, set course for the wormhole, full impulse."  
  
"Aye-sir full impulse."  
  
The ship disengaged from orbit around the space station and proceeded on her journey. The wormhole opened up like a flower blooming in the morning to swallow the Paladin as it entered closing after her. The Paladin's trip through the wormhole took about twelve hours, in order to come out without drawing too much attention. During that time there was a shift change. I went to my quarters and called up the Holodeck reservation list. I noticed that the slot for this time period was vacant so I quickly reserved it for myself. After doing that I quickly made my way to deck six where the Holodeck was located. As I approached the large doors, they slid open for me with an audible hum. I entered the anteroom and called up my program. I then called up my costume which appeared in a replicator slot next to me. It was a black combat armor suit, with a specially made helmet. Only special commandos for the Federation wear it and I had one specially made for me and most members of my command staff. I put the suit on and entered the Holodeck's main room.  
  
Gone were the Black and yellow grid pattern of an unactivated Holodeck, now it was a darkened corridor of a StarFleet vessel. A pulse rifle lay near the ground as did a special hand phaser, shaped like a pistol and using pulse rifle technology. I slid the pistol into a holster built into the thigh of my armor and picked up the rifle. Its battery read full. Hefting it I walked into the blackened corridor.  
  
I stalked down the corridor looking for friends or foes. I could hear shouts and muffled shots, but only faintly. My helmet displayed a map for me to follow. I was just outside the engineering section of a Galaxy class cruiser. Phaser scoring was all over the walls. I appeared at the door to Engineering. I switched my helmet view over to infrared. The heat on the door was recent and there were footprints leading up to the door. I opened the door via the manual override in the bulkhead next to it. I switched on my rifle's light and swept it across the room. Consoles were blown out all over the place. The main control console was a melted slag. I could smell the acrid odor of vaporized metal, the smell curled my nosehairs.  
  
I used my suit's sensors to scan for lifesigns in the immediate vicinity, the results were negative but do to the level of ionization in the air the sensor readings were skeptical. I made it to the ladder to the next level before I noticed movement. I climbed the ladder and crouched on the walkway. Playing my light across the area I did not see anything. So I stood up. Big mistake. The first shot hit my rifle knocking it out of my hands and down to the landing below me where it exploded. The next shot hit the wall behind me causing another explosion due to a console that the shot caused to overload. The blast knocked me forward. I rolled and came up with my pistol infront of me. I fired a volley of shots into where the attack had come from. I saw the figure go down clutching at a hole in his chest. I waited for it to die before I stood up again. The body had fallen on its face as it died. I turned it over with my boot. It was human wearing light armor designed to stop projectiles not focused phaser energy. His helmet had no face plate just a small green screen that sat infront of one eye. On it there was scrolling text.  
  
"Johnson, zzxxxzzt!, Johnson!, this is O'Reilly are you there?" I shot the helmet with my pistol. The man's weapon was useless to me. It was an old phaser pistol with a stock attached. I took the battery though. I could use it as a grenade later if I needed too.  
  
I exited the engineering section and made my way to the nearest Turbolift shaft. My helmet listed my mission objectives for me. I had to clear out every main section, Engineering; Sickbay; Transporter room 6; Security; and the Bridge. I called up my map again. I noticed that I was close to an armory so I headed there looking for a new rifle.  
  
When I got there the door had been blown away and there was blood all in the corridor. Inside was no better. Bodies were littered all over the floor, the room painted crimson. Alas, no weapons were present in the room, not even a clip was in there. I moved on.  
  
Next on my list was Transporter room six. I headed there. The door opened for me as I approached. The inside was remarkably untouched by the chaos on the outside. The lights were on and no one was visible. I walked over to the console. I activated the transporter platform and keyed it for security. Using the ships internal sensors I was able to beam the entire enemy in the corridor to space. Then I turned the transporter on automatic and stepped on to the platform.  
  
I rematterialized in the corridor outside of the security section and the main armory. As I proceeded towards the door I heard a beep. I looked down and saw that I stood upon a mine. Just as I moved my foot and lunged backwards the mine exploded but the blast froze. I landed on my back hard. When I opened my eyes I was looking up to a figure clothed like me. He reached down and helped my up. My helmet identified him as Hoagland, Will; Commander, StarFleet. "What are you doing here Will?"  
  
"I looked at the Holodeck reservations and saw your name. Then I looked at what program you were running and I noticed that you were playing a commando program. So I decided to join you."  
  
"Glad to have you, are you armed?"  
  
He bent down and picked up a rifle and two pistols. There was another pistol laying on the ground, so I picked it up. "Computer resume program." No sooner had I said the words than the mine finished exploding. With pistols in both hands I slid with my back to the wall down the corridor to the door. Pulling the battery from my belt I activated it in the overload function. Setting the timer, I tossed it in the open door into the darkness beyond it. I opaqued my helmet's visor and turned away. I registered the explosion and heard a few screams. Returning my visor back to normal I hefted both pistols and rolled into the room. I came into a crouch next to a wall and just behind a console. I looked back to see Will standing in the doorway, his rifle at the ready.  
  
"I got you covered Kieran." He said over a tight-beam Comm transmission. I nodded and inched my way forward. I was now at the place where my makeshift bomb had gone off. I looked farther in with infrared sight and saw at the end of the long room were men set up with a tripod mounted pulse phaser cannon, no doubtably taken from the armories. There were three men behind the barricade the weapon was on. The two not operating the cannon were holding rifles. I leaned back against the wall.  
  
"Three bogies, two rifles; one cannon, pulse." I transmitted to Will  
  
"Copy, snipe? Assault? Diversion?" he came back.  
  
I looked around me and noticed a metal pipe, melted at both ends. I picked it up.  
  
"Diversion eminent one snipe shot then assault."  
  
"Roger."  
  
I hefted the pipe and threw it to the side of the gunner's nest. I saw the two riflemen raise their weapons towards that area. Then they started to fire a few shots. Will's shot took the left rifleman in the head. I jumped up and ran towards the barricade with my pistols in front of me. Firing shots with each step I killed the second rifle man before he turned around. The gunner though hit me with a flurry of blasts. Luckily my armor was meant to withstand multiple blasts and I lived. Will killed the gunner before he had the chance to finish me off. He helped me up once again. My chest armor was melted in many spots and hot to the touch. As I was checking my damage Will walked around the barricade and picked up a rifle from a stack the men had back there. He gave it to me and I holstered my pistols.  
  
We had a few minutes of repose before the enemy started to show up in force. I saw lights in the corridor moving down the walls. They were the lights on phaser rifles. I pointed this out to Will whom took up the controls of the mounted phaser cannon. We ducked as the lights got closer. I heard the men enter the room. I pulled a knife out of my boot and another out of my arm bracer. Holding them by the tips I peeked out the side of the barricade. None of the soldiers were looking my way. I threw my first blade at one of them. It hit the man in the throat making him gurgle as he fell to the ground. My next blade hit the man whom was bent over my first victim in the eye. He died quickly. I ducked back behind the barrier.  
  
"Ready Will?" I transmitted  
  
"Ready."  
  
I held up three fingers, then two, then one, then my fist. Will grabbed the controls of the cannon and opened fire. I brought up my rifle and took shots at anything that moved. I took out one, two, three, and then four soldiers with head shots. Then I heard an explosion to my right. I spun to face it.  
  
The next thing I know is that I have been knocked to the ground by a blast to my back. I looked up in time to see Will get mowed down by numerous energy blasts, pulse and beam. I turned over and sat up, firing my rifle as I went hitting man after man. I took another hit in the leg. Kneeling now I shot three more enemies. Two in the face and the other in the chest. My rifle overheated and started to sputter and spark. I threw the worthless weapon to the ground and drew my pistols yet again. Firing in two directions at once I took down a few more enemies. Then I was hit in the face by a rifle blast.  
  
With that the program ended. Will and I got off the ground and dusted off our uniforms which were visible because the armor had disappeared with the simulation.  
  
"That was fun, we should do it again sometime." Said Will. His face dripping with sweat as was mine.  
  
"Yeah that was fun. Computer display commander Hoagland's and my characters as they were at the time the simulation ended."  
  
Two bodies in black armor appeared on the floor. We walked over to Will's character which had arms, legs and a head but no torso. There was a hole burned all the way through. There were also quarter sized holes in the head and in the arms.  
  
"Ouch! That hurt, glad that wasn't me, oh wait, it was!" he said laughing.  
  
We looked at my body which had a deep, smoking hole in the left leg, the chest riddled with holes in the armor, and the helmet was a crater.  
  
" That's the kill shot." I said pointing to the head. "computer analyze head wound on Captain Ibanez."  
  
"Head wound caused by a type 3 phaser rifle on level 9." Will emitted a low whistle.  
  
"Those generated badguys were packing some fire power."  
  
"Bridge to Captain Ibanez." I tapped my combadge.  
  
"Ibanez here, go ahead bridge."  
  
"We are exiting the wormhole sir, we are preparing to set course for the Kintaris Sector."  
  
" Hold outside the Wormhole until I reach the bridge, Ibanez out." I motioned for Will to follow me and we went out the door.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Will and I strode onto the bridge a few minutes after the ship had come to a dead stop. "Elijah, suspend all out going communications, kill all outer lights, rig for silent running."  
  
"Aye sir rigging for silent running." With that the lights dimmed and the background noise quieted down. I sat down in my chair.  
  
"Helm, set course for the Kintaris sector, Warp four. Engage." She typed in the commands and the ship set off. "Elijah, confirm silent running please."  
  
"Aye, silent running confirmed, all systems quieted for enemy incursion." I nodded.  
  
"Navigation, ETA for Kintaris Sector?"  
  
Floursheim looked at his console and said, "ETA two hours thirty minutes sir."  
  
"I will be in my ready room should I be needed." I rose and walked to my room to the right of the bridge.  
  
The whole of the trip to the Kintaris Sector took a long time and was uneventful. I managed to get some "paperwork" done in the interim. When we did arrive I ordered my men to unload the Workbees and the space armor. They proceeded to weld it into the vague shape of an polygonal sphere. Once half of the outer hull of the new base was welded together they then started to install individual decks and installed some of the equipment.  
  
In the matter of two days they had completed the outer hull and were focusing on the interior. This involved installing doors, living areas, transporters, replicators, power relays, computer terminals, turbolifts, and the central control sectors. All of this was done in a matter of another three days. We ran tests day and night to make sure the base would run without a malfunction. None were found.  
  
As soon as I was satisfied that the base would run alright without our supervision I ordered the transfer of 100 of our crew and 200 of the marines to staff it. I then ordered the helm to set course back to the wormhole.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Approaching the wormhole now sir." Said Lieutenant Henderson at the helm.  
  
"Very well. Prepare to signal the rest of the task force to enter the wormhole." Said Kieran  
  
"Aye sir, signaling now." Said Elijah " Captain Sisko acknowledges, ETA is thirty minutes fifteen seconds."  
  
"Thank-you Elijah. Will, stay rigged for silent running."  
  
"Aye Kieran." Said Will. He punched an intercom button on his chair. "All hands, this is the first officer, shut down all nonessential systems, rig for silent running." He pushed another button. This button sounded the alarm.  
  
Ohooga! Ohooga! All over the vessel heavy metal panels slid over all the external windows, the identification lights shut off and all exterior lights cut off. The hums and beeps of various consoles stopped and the lights dimmed.  
  
"Engineering to bridge, all systems have been put in passive mode, warp drive is in standby and we are drifting." Said Luke over the commlink.  
  
"Good job keep me posted on any problems that may occur. Bridge out."  
  
The ship drifted in stealth mode for around twenty minutes. That's when the excitement started.  
  
"Captain!" called Elijah.  
  
"Yes Commander?" I said.  
  
"We have a Dominion Cruiser on passive sensors, they appear to be searching for us."  
  
"ETA of the rest of the group?"  
  
"They are another twenty minutes out."  
  
"Damn, I hope that we are not seen, progress to yellow alert."  
  
The klaxon sounded and crews rushed to their ready stations.  
  
"Elijah, open an intercom channel for me."  
  
"Aye-sir."  
  
"Attention all crewmembers, this is your captain speaking. There is a dominion cruiser four hundred kilometers off of our bow, we may find ourselves in conflict with this vessel and I trust each and every one of you to act to the best of your abilities to keep her and your comrades whole. That is all that needs to be said at this time, Semper Fi."  
  
At that the comlink shut off and I turned back to the screen.  
  
"Sir the Jem'Hadar vessel is focusing in on our position. Even with passive sensors their weapons read as hot."  
  
"Bring our weapons into standby and shields as well."  
  
"THEY'RE FIRING!"  
  
The blast rocked the ship, sending sparks flying from an aft science console, sending the young crewman flying into the back of the tactical station.  
  
"Shields up, Red Alert! Medic to the bridge." I yelled over the noise of the alarms.  
  
"Bringing ship damage schematics on secondary veiwers."  
  
A green wire frame model of the ship appeared on a small veiwer to the left of the main screen. A large area on the port warp nacelle. The point of the weapons blast was blinking yellow indicating medium damage but nothing crippling.  
  
"Phasers fully charged, torpedoes loaded." Said Josh in a calm voice.  
  
"Lock quantum torpedoes, full spread, set targeting to TOO (targets of Opportunity)."  
  
"Fire." I stated firmly.  
  
The deck vibrated as the six torpedoes left the tube at a rapid rate.  
  
The torps streaked spinning and spiraling towards the enemy ship in an effort to elude any countermeasures that the Jem'Hadar might have in place. All six missles sped straight into the hull of the cruiser, each detonating in a brilliant display sending pieces of the ship spiraling into space.  
  
"Direct hits sir. Two torpedoes hit directly the other four hit glanceing blows. Their hull strength is down to seventy-one percent."  
  
"Target phasers, fire!"  
  
Crimson beams shot out and impacted onto the underbelly of the vessel, causing the ventral hull of the vessel to melt somewhat and glow red.  
  
The Cruiser returned fire. It's luminescent purple glow belied it's deadly properties. The twin beams impacted on the shields with ferocious force knocking the ship about something awful. On the veiwer the shield sphere on the fore shrank a bit.  
  
"Diana, evasive maneuvers, pattern delta-tau-niner."  
  
She nodded and input the commands. The ship spun and moved away from the cruiser. The Paladin rocked again this time hit in the aft shields.  
  
"Shields down fifty-five percent." Said Will.  
  
"Return fire, hold nothing back."  
  
The screen was still focused on the enemy vessel. Six more torpedoes streaked towards it. Unlike the first volley, these did not try to evade countermeasures, they just flew dummly towards the target. When they approached to within fifty kilometers the ships small phasers opened up. Five of the torpedoes were detonated before they had a chance to arm themselves and do damage. The one that made it through glanced off of the shields and then detonated ten kilometeres away from when it should have.  
  
"So they do have shields." I mused to myself.  
  
Again more torps fired of and were similarly shot down even though these were set to evade.  
  
I punched a button in my armrest. "Pilots to you your fighters, prepare to launch. Will prepare to drop shields around the tertiary shuttle bay."  
  
The Paladin was equipped with sixteen Valkarie type fighters twelve for the main squadron, four for me, Will, Luke, and Rebbeccah. These fighters were armed with three photon torpedoes and dual type IV pulse phasers. Not unlike a venture class scout vessel, these are about the same size but with more powerful shields and engines. They are also twice as maneuverable.  
  
"Launching Viper squadron now." Announced Will.  
  
I pushed a button on my chair, switching the veiwer to focus onto the tertiary shuttle bay. Grey ship after ship streaked out of the shuttle bay. The fighters spread into four three ship groups moving toward the enemy ship.  
  
"Bring us about all weapons fire as the target presents itself." I growled.  
  
Diana brought the ship about and set up for an attack run. Josh opened fire from every weapons port and every tube. Torpedoes and phaser beams streaked towards the purple cruiser. The powerful vessel blasted away torpedoes and withstood phaser blasts with ease. The twelve fighters, flying in formation, moved swiftly towards the cruiser, dodging and weaving as they went. The were moving into positive torpedoe range for anti-countermeasure efforts.  
  
"This is Viper 1 we are moving into range for launch, AA fire is heating up. Fifteen seconds to attack range, locking torpedoes, five seconds. FOX THREE!"  
  
On the screen thirty six torpedoes flew from the fighter formation. The twelve ships flew up and broke formation to streak away from the enemy ship. I watched as three of my ships were obliterated by disruptor fire. A fourth was disabled but the pilot managed to eject.  
  
"Transpoter room three, lock on to Viper Six's escape pod and beam her out." I barked into the comm unit.  
  
"Aye,bridge energizing."  
  
The screen on the left side of the main veiwer showed the sillohuets of the twelve fighters in white outlines, four of which were dark.  
  
"Damn," I cursed silentley. "damage report on the Jem'hadar."  
  
"Their shields are down and severe damage to their hull. They are charging weapons for another shot."  
  
"Fire before they do!"  
  
Phasers shot out and struck the vessel amidships. After the beams stopped the vessel was silent for a second then it exploded into a brilliant shower of sparks and fire.  
  
"Damage report." I said  
  
"Shields down to thirty-two percent, hull breaches decks thirteen through seven, nineteen and twenty. Power outages on decks five, ten, and nine. Transporter rooms one, two, and four are disabled." Reported Will.  
  
"The wormhole is opening." Announced Diana.  
  
On the screen the Defiant burst from the multi-spectral light tunnel followed quickly by the Athenian and the Tripoli. The Bon Homme appeared a little later. All four ships moved to form on the Paladin's port and starboard positions.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"Captain Ibanez, what happened, Dax tells me you have serious damage to your ship." Said Captian Benjamin Sisko from the Defiant.  
  
"We got into a scrape with a dominion battle cruiser. I lost a few pilots but other than that casualties were slim. We got lucky."  
  
"I am glad to hear that you are ok. The armada will fly point at your maximum speed until you are repaired. The services of any of our ships are at your disposale."  
  
"Thankyou captain, we may take you up on that, for now though we will try to get by on our own. Paladin out."  
  
The screen winked off and returned to the Damage control schematics.  
  
The armada slowly made it's way along at warp six towards the makeshift base in the Kintaris sector.  
  
By the time that we arrived at End Run, which is what we decided to call the base, we were back up to full combat readiness. Once all the vessels had arrived. The Bon Homme began to continue work on the base. The Defiant's cloaking device came in handy as we sent her out on patrol. Funeral services were arranged for our downed pilots. And all the wounded were made well.  
  
With our crew strength back up through transfers from the three combat ships, work on the station went ahead of schedule. With the Bon Homme's help the station was finished in a week, we even had time to paint her. We moved her into orbit around the third planet's fourth moon. This way she was near always hidden from sensors unless you knew where to look. To test this we had had it moved while the Defiant was on patrol. When she came back we told her to try to find the station. She never did.  
  
With the station running we were ready to begin our main mission.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Bravo Tango Viper 1, Captain Ibanez ready for launch," I said into the comm unit in my helmet. I was seated in my special fighter. It is a protype for a new design.The flight yoke between my legs was gripped in my right hand. I brought my systems on-line and powered the engines. My load of two pulse cannons and six micro-torpedoes in two tubes were ready to go, as well as my high performance impulse engines. My cockpit canopy was sealed and I was lashed into my flight couch. "Two lit and in the green ready for go signal."  
  
"Roger Viper 1, Alpha Alpha Aleph, you have go signal launch when ready." Came the voice of the traffic controller from the End Run.  
  
I put my left hand on the throttle lever and rammed it forward. My engines screamed to life as I hurtled down the launch tube. Suddenly I was in open space speeding away from End Run. I moved toward the Paladin. As I passed in front of the bridge I waggled my stumpy wings in a show of respect. Then I set coordinants and punched a button on my dashboard. Stars elongated around my cockpit as I jumped to warp.  
  
My mission was to make a flyby on a dominion shipyard. The theory was that my fighter could get in undetected and out again. If I got into trouble the Defiant and the rest of our fighters, all in all twenty strong, would come to my rescue. If I had to eject my transporter buffer was ready to hold me in stasis till I could be rescued.  
  
The shipyard I was running by was manufacturing fighters. Dominion fighters were small, purple, fast, and very tough. I did not expect to get into a scrape with them.  
  
The trip took me an five hours at warp three. In the interim I watched a small vid and listened to some music. During the last fifteen minutes I made another diagnostic on my weapons. All systems were still good to go.  
  
I moved towards the facility at one-eighth impulse power taking readings as I went. I was more than halfway into the structures before I was noticed.  
  
The Dominion Patrol group came screaming from the area above me. I managed to juke my tiny fighter out of the way of their disruptor beams before they obliterated me. Bringing my hud up the interior of my fighter switched to red light. I pulled my ship around in a tight loop and fell on the six of one of the five fighters that were after me.  
  
Can't use torps, might need them later. I thought to myself as I switched my weapons to phasers. My targeting computer beeped slowly as it tried to lock my weapons onto the enemy fighter. Suddnely I received a solid tone. I tightened my finger on the trigger and fired a volley of phaser blasts. Both of my cannons fired three-round bursts. All six of the bright orbs impacted on the ships shields and caused them to flare out, sparks flinging from the generators. I fired again this time boring holes deep into the ships' hull. It exploded into a miniature nova of fire and shrapnel.  
  
The computer hummed in warning telling me that another fighter was trying to get a lock on me. I slung my ship into a barrel roll then a double helix. This got rid of my pursuer when it slammed into a girder from the facility. I pulled up and got another lock on a fighter and vaped him as well.  
  
I pulled up and went head to head with still another fighter. I fired my phasers at maximum range, holding down the trigger. He juked and my cannons followed him. My pulse cannons were able to adjust themselves to within an eight-degree cone to follow a target. This allows for excellent accurracy. My fighter shook roughly as the enemy's twin disruptors impacted on my forward shields. I deftly shunted power to my weakened shields with my left hand. I pulled the trigger again and the vessel exploded. Glancing at my threat board and noted the locations of the other fighters. I barrel rolled and broke to port. Zeroing my sights on my last bogie I switched my weapons over to torps and waited for a red circle to lock onto the enemy ship on the HUD. As soon as it did I tightened on the trigger. A red missle shot out from the side of the ship and lept towards the fighter. Within two seconds the enemy fighter was speared by the projectile and the vessel exploded brilliantly.  
  
I shoved my throttel forward and sped away from the installation. As soon as I cleared the immediate area I jumped to the safety of warp just as more ships were converging on my position.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Report Captain Ibanez." Said Ben Sisko who was seated with the other captains around the conference room table aboard the Paladin.  
  
I stood up from my seat at the head of the table and walked to the for of the room to stand in front of a large, fifty-six inch viewscreen. I punched a button and called up a schematic of the manufacturing station and of the position of my small ship. Pulling a retractable pointer I used it to show the position that I started at.  
  
" This is where I entered the system. I encountered no resistance." I pushed another button an the small ship sped across the screen and stopped in the middle of the facility. " Here is where I was detected. Five enemy fighters encountered, five dead. Operational cost of encounter 500 units of power, one miniature torpedoe mk 4."  
  
"What information did you gather?" Demanded Captain Hronsky leaning forward on the table.  
  
"The Dominion are building and shipping fighters at a tremendous rate. I gathered data on their transportation of weapons and waste materials, alloys and fuel. They are geared up. Based on the amount of material being shipped I would estimate an average of ninety to a hundred fighters a day. This amount added with the projected amount of Battleships being built I would estimate that they will have ten thousand fighters ready in a month and another fourty Battleships ready for war." I said. As I talked the screen behind me shifted to show the figures that I had downloaded from the sensor records of my fighter.  
  
"We have got to cripple that facility soon, so that no more ships come out of it!" Growled Captian Hronsky.  
  
"Better to use Marines to capture it and take data then destroy it, than to lose all valuable information there." Said Captian Alex Casey of the Tripoli.  
  
"Captian Sisko, this mission has been given to you as your command. We will do what you decide to do. End Run base is ready to follow through with whatever you decide, but we are to remain out of the loop for this because we are ordered to stay her and observe Dominion ship movements towards and around the Wormhole." Said Commander Alynna Starbreaze, commanding officer of the End Run.  
  
"I say that we need to board the facility, as was suggested by Mrs. Casey. We will wait a day while I get a plan ready. Captain Ibanez, I will require you and the use of the holodeck and Stellar cartography areas on your ship." Said Captain Sisko.  
  
"Aye Captain Sisko, the use of the Paladin and I are at your discretion." I said standing up. The other officers stood as well and filed out of the door.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The planning for the raid took all of three days. Captain Sisko and I poured over charts and tactical data for a long time, stopping every two hours for a short one hour break. Our security officers and the Marine commander helped at times when requested.  
  
Finally, we had the battle plan ready to go. We believed that all the holes that might have been present were filled now. We decided early on that the Paladin should not be used unless desperately needed. She was a to high profile ship. If the Dominion saw her they could possibly speed up their plans. The attack force would consist of the Defiant and the Athenian as the two main combat vessels. They would run combat screen with all the fighters and the few type 9 shuttles, three in all. The Tripoli would fly in with all the marines that we had, 200 on the Tripoli, and the 300 of the Paladin. The ones from the Paladin would be loaded onto all the shuttles we had (over twenty in all), as well as the captain's yacht, the Audry Jones. Since I had working knowledge of the combat plan, I would be on the Jones wih the other marines. I would lead that team.  
  
The work began on all the shuttles in our groups to make as much room as possible in them. In our three Danube class runabouts, we removed the beds and tables and put in harnesses to hold people. It was 0200 when we were finished the mission would commence at 0400.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Will take care of her, you are a good commander and the crew will follow you." I said to Will. He nodded to me. Then, to my surprise, he rose up and gave me a crisp, military salute. Shocked, it took me a second to react. Straightening myself, I returned it. He spun on his heel and walked out of my ready room. I went out after him and walked directley to the turbolift, not meeting any of my crew's eyes. They had already told me that they did not approve of me abandoning them to go to the ground with the Marines. And they were also upset at being left out of the upcoming fight.  
  
I stopped by my quarters, retrieved my combat armour, and took the turbo lift to the yacht. When I arrived there were men in standard green combat armor in the corridor, as I walked past the all saluted me, each stopping what he was doing to show that sign of respect. It made me feel funny because there were several men who were older than me but they were saluting me. I continued on into the yacht. I walked into the cockpit and notixed that it was already occupied by two people in the dark green combat armor of the Marines. The one in the pilot's seat swiveled around to look at me. He was a gruff looking man with shaggy brown hair and hazel eyes. He looked as if he had not shaven in some time.  
  
"Ye must be Cptain Ibanez." He growled with a thick accent. "I be Chief Warrant Officer Alex Mcburr. Second in command of this platoon. There be the 1st Lieutinant, She is the one that ye wish to talk to." With that he turned back to his console.  
  
The other inhabitant in the room stood up. She was a tall woman with auburn hair and a stern face. She was not ugly but she appeared as if she always had a scowl on her lips and coldness in her eyes. "I am 1st Lieutinant Audra Adrian, CO of the fiftieth Federation Marine division. The troops answer to me and I answer to you. You will find you're weapons in the standard locker in the anti-room outside your old quarters. You can change into your suit in there, we launch in thirty minutes." At that she saluted and turned back to her work.  
  
I walked to the back side of the ship. My quarters had been completely changed around. Three rows of acceleration harnesses were installed in the large room. No one was around so I stripped off my uniform and put on the combat suit. Stowing my uniform in a special closet I made my way into the anti-room. I chose for myself a standard type 2 hand phaser, a type 4 compression pistol, and a type 3 compression rifle. I put a belt on with holsters for the pistols, which I put in the holsters. I also picked up three photon grenades and put them in the belt as well. Picking up the helmet, I walked back to the cockpit. Chief Adrian was still at her station.  
  
"just in time sir, I just ordered all marines to board, we detach in five minutes."  
  
I could hear metallic footsteps as men piled into the vessel. The Jones was two decks thick, with three sets of quarters and a conference room. All of which I assumed were changed. Usually this ship could hold up to thirty people but when I ran a check on the computer it showed we had over fifty men on board, fifty-nine to be exact. I sat in the pilot's chair and waited for the time to detach.  
  
"Audry Jones to Paladin ready for detatchment. Shut off and remove all moorings and close airlock doors. Launch all shuttles." I said into the comm unit.  
  
"Bridge to Jones all moorings removed you are clear to launch. Kill some Jem'hadar for the hometeam." Said Diana over the channel.  
  
I gripped my control yokes and pushed a button. There was a jolt as the yacht dropped from the saucer of the Paladin. The ship hummed as the nacelles lowered into position and locked. I pushed the throttle lever forward and the ship sped off to form with the Defiant and the Athenan. Over thirty shuttles were out there as well; it was an impressive sight.  
  
" Jones to Defiant we are ready to go, good luck Captain." I transmitted to the Defiant.  
  
" The Tripoli is telling us to form up go to warp in thirty seconds." Said Officer McBurr.  
  
" When we arrive it will be heated, when I made my run their security was lax, but I did read many defense disruptors and missle turrets. It is very likely that we may lose a few shuttles on the way in. Ok theres the signal entering warp." I flipped a switch and shoved another lever forward and the stars elongated and we exceeded lightspeed.  
  
"Attention all Marines. This is Captain Kieran Ibanez. You all know your mission objectives. Strap yourselves in and get ready to pile out when I give the word. Put on your helmets when the red alert klaxon sounds. If we get hit, we may suffer hull breaches, if your helmets are on you will survive. Ibanez out."  
  
"Stirring speech sir." said Mrs. Adrian rather dryly, I got the impression that she was rolling her eyes at me.  
  
The warp trip took thirty minutes. Then we dropped out into Hell.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
"Shields up, Red alert." I shouted as we emerged from warp.  
  
The facility filled the screen as the thirty shuttles lept towards it. I set my course towards the station's hanger bay.  
  
"Audry Jones to Volga, Mekong, and Yangtzee Kang. Form up on our wing. Make your way to the main hangar bay. Deploy troops as you land." I said into the comm.  
  
As we got within 200 kilometers of the station, the facility's weapons opened up on the approaching shuttles. Phaser fire and missles streaked by. I had to spin the ship, up, down, left, and right (I even think I invented a few new directions) just to avoid damage. The communication channels filled with reports of damage and screams as one then two shuttles were blown away. The Defiant and Athenian flitted in and out of the shuttle formation, firing all weapons at the station. The took about as much fire as they gave out.  
  
"Approaching the hangar bay."said Chief McBurr.  
  
"Fire all weapons into the shields, fire the tachyon bursts as well." I ordered.  
  
The yacht and the three runabouts fired their weapons at the hangar bay hitting the shields. For about thirty seconds they held, then they flared out. Our four ships entered the bay. We touched down and I sounded the alarm. All three secondary exits opened up along with the main aft ramp which fell on the deck with a loud clang. Men and women poured out of the ship at all sides. I unstrapped myself and followed Mr. Mcburr and Mrs. Adrian out. I strapped on my helmet as I ran and switched it on. I shouldered my rifle as I ran down the ramp and surveyed the action. Jem Hadar had set up barricades down at the end of the hangar. There was a mobile artillary cannon smoking nearby them. I looked at the other runabouts and saw that one of them was blown against the side of the hanger, a large hole in the side. No men were around it.  
  
The Marines were hiding behind the other two runabouts and were firing at the barricade. A disruptor beam hit the ramp behind me and I rolled aside. Pointing my rifle at the Jem'Hadar I fired a blast. It took the troop in the arm and he fell to the ground. I looked around in time to see McBurr shot and he disintigrated into a column of fire. I fired another burst at the barricade not caring whether I hit anything or not. Darting back into the yacht, I rummaged in the weapons locker. I found what I had been looking for, An Isomagnetic Disintegrator. I powered it up and dragged it to the ramp. Putting it on my shoulder, I zoomed in on the largest concentration of enemy soldiers. Locking on I pulled the trigger and a large yellow blob of energy flew towards the soldiers. Six bodies were flung over the wall and then they fell to the ground. A large smoking crater marked where the wall had been. I tossed the disintegrator to a nearby shoulder and ran to the breach. I slung my rifle from off my back and fired at the remaining soldiers. They were dead within seconds.  
  
The soldiers counted the dead and arranged them on the shuttles. Combat medics stayed behind to treat the wounded.  
  
"Squads two and three move on to your objectives, Four and five you will stay here and secure the hangar, we may be here for up to three hours so break apart that scraped runabout and use it to make barricades. Squad one, come with me." I said over the communication unit in my helmet.  
  
Two groups of five men each ran out the door and down the left side. I motioned with my hand and another five ran to the door with me.  
  
Chapter 7  
  
The corridors were dark and dank. My team and I were charged with getting to the main control room. Our rifle lights lit the corridor weakly but enough that we could see where we were going. We did not encounter any enemies during the long trek through hall after hall of hallway. As we rounded the last corner, the Marine at the front of the group was gunned down. His body exploded as up to six beams thudded into him and knocked him into the opposite wall.  
  
"No!" yelled another man who ran around the corner and died a similar death. My team was down to three.  
  
I held up a fist and pointed to the other side of the hall. One Marine stepped up and I nodded to him. He saluted me then moved off down the corridor the way we had come. He ran full speed back towards us and jumped across the opening and rolled to the other side. Energy beams flashed into the wall were he had been. He stood up and motioned that he was alright. I nodded.  
  
Pulling a photon grenade off of my belt I primed it. Setting it to explode after three seconds, I peeked around the corner quickly. Six troops, twenty meters away, ducked behind an overturned table. I ducked back before they saw me and I threw the grenade.  
  
"One.two.three!" I muttered.  
  
On three the bomb detonated shaking the deck fiercly. The hall brightened then dimmed quickly. I clutched my rifle and leaned around the corner with it raised. Three enemies lay dead against the bulkheads, burned and smoking. One more was at my feet, a charred mass of tissue. The last two were clutching at wounds, one had stumps for his left arms and legs The other was burned badly, his tube of White was burst spilling the fluidic enzyme on the deck which he was groping at wildly. I aimed my rifle, two shots, two kills. All the enemies in this area were dead.  
  
We beamed the two dead back to the hanger and received two new men. Moving past the dead Jem'Hadar and the crater, we arrived at a sealed large double door, presumably leading to the command deck. All five of us slung our rifles over our shoulders, and pulled our hand phasers off our belts.  
  
"Set to setting 3 heat." I ordered.  
  
The troops punched in the command on their weapons and aimed them at the door.  
  
"fire."  
  
Five beams hit the door at a single point which flared and glowed a dull, burning red. The spot grew and grew till the center of the spot was a bright, searing orange-white. Finally the door sagged in on itself and the way in was clear. The motlen slag cooled fast and we entered the room.  
  
Chapter 8  
  
It turned out that the room was a control center, but for the engineering area.  
  
" Ibanez to base one, we have found the engine room, beam us some high- yield, explosives." I said into my helmet unit.  
  
"Aye sir, Gathering items for transport now." Said an unidentifiable voice.  
  
Within a few minutes, no more than five, two cargo containers shimmered into veiw with a low-pitched hum. Two of my men quickly opened the crates and withdrew twelve packs of Di-cobalt explosive charges. One of the men gave me the detonator controls. I turned it to remote detonation and left it unarmed for now.  
  
" Take three each and put them in areas that will do damage but are inconspicuous to enemy eyes."  
  
They nodded and gathered up the explosives and spread out. I walked around the immense room and gathered it in. Workstations littered the walls and floor, two large pulsing warp cores were parrallel to each other in the center rising up the three deck high room. I heard a thud behind me. I whirled around to see one of my men slump to the ground. I spinted over to him. My helmet scans revealed him dead. A bloody, quarter sized hole was in the back of his neck. I stood up and looked around.  
  
"shapeshifter." I muttered to my self. I activated my commlink. "Marines, Puwalski is dead, I believe a shapeshifter got him, get done quickly while I go hunting."  
  
I switched my helmet to infrared veiw as I turned off the lights in my area. Looking up and down every surface around me, I did not see a thing. Suddenly I was knocked to the ground, my rifle flying out of my hands and into the bright lights of the engine room. I rose from off my back and crouched. I drew my hand phaser and pointed it around the room. A dull copper tendril shot out and wrapped around my weapon. Startled I let it get snapped away. Before I could recover enough to whip out my other and last weapon.  
  
A phaser beam blasted me in the left side of my chest. I was spun to the ground again. My suit diagnostic came up on my HUD. A misshapen face filled my screen, as it pointed a phaser at my face. I twisted my hips and spun my legs, smacking the changling in the arm and stomach. Jumping up to my feet again, I lashed out with my fist and hit the. thing in the face. It mushed around my fist the face turning into a hand. It kicked me in the side of my helmet. I was on the floor again. I flicked my wrists and two six inch long knives sprang into my hands. I lashed at it, severing a leg cleanly. The limb fell to the floor and melted into a dull brown puddle. I jumped up and ran towards where my team members ought to have been. They were not there, or they were but not the way I wished them to. Five Jem'Hadar troops stood over their burnt, dismembered bodies. I screamed and flung my knives towards two of them. Both knives hit the throats of their targets. I drew my pistol and fired off a shot. That was the only one I got to fire before, the other soldier shot me in the chest. I blacked out to the sounds of warning alerts ringing in my helmet.  
  
Chapter 9  
  
It was a good while before I reawoke from my slumber. When I did I was being dragged down a hall by my legs. I was still wearing my armor, so I called up a suit diagnostic with a flick of my tongue on a small control. It told me that the emergency flares had been hit, as well as my oxygen purifier. My communicator had also been destroyed. I did a quick sensor scan of the area. There were three beings around me. The two Jem'hadar dragging me and a third being behind me. I dully wondered about what had happened to the rest of my men. Then I remembered that they had all died. Then I also remembered that I had not seen the explosives with them and that I had the detonator attached to my suit belt which was still there.  
  
I was dragged for a few more minutes before we stopped. One of the men hefted me up and threw into a small room, a cell. That was when I moved for the first time. I looked up at the door and saw the shapeshifter staring back at me. I glared at him from behind my visor. He shrugged and moved away. I took off the left armor plate of my suit. It was scorched and had a small crater in it but did not look too bad. Turning it on its back I looked at the circutry. I pulled out a few spare parts and assembled a small comm unit. I took off my helmet and plugged the small unit into the inside. I snapped my helmet back on.  
  
"Ibanez to base one, Ibanez to base one, do you copy." I said. Nothing. I repeated it. Still nothing. Third time was the charm though.  
  
"Base one to Ibanez, we copy sir, base one is under heavy fire, we have retreated back near the ships and are ready to pull out as soon as you arrive." Said a woman's high voice.  
  
"Negative, I am in a cell with no way out, abandon base one and save the rest of the men." I said over the airwaves.  
  
"This is runabout Yangtzee Kang we are beaming five men to your area, you will be free in a minute sir."  
  
I waited and could faintly hear the whine of transporters, then shouts and shots being fired then all was silent. My cell door slid open and a man in combat armor with his helmet off stepped in.  
  
"Sir good to see you are alright. We will get you out of here quickly, you may need this." He handed me a hand phaser then we moved out into the corridor. " They raised a transport inhibitor in this area, we will have to move away to be able to get out."  
  
I gripped the phaser tightly and followed the men away from the cell block. We ran down corridors, firing at distant enemies as we went. We even downed a few. It took us nearly ten minutes to get to a 'safe' distance. We only knew that we were there because we were spirited away by the transporter when we got there. I appeared in the control room of the runabout. I dashed out of it quickly into the firestorm outside. I ducked as I ran from barricade to barricade, trying to get to the Audry Jones. Men were clustered around debris, using them as cover in their fight. I finally made it to the ship and hid behind the ramp.  
  
"All Marines. Get to your ships and lets evac, MOVE MOVE MOVE!" I yelled. I started to fire my hand weapon at anything that was not wearing a combat suit. Men clambered onto their ships, quickly and without turning their backs to an enemy soldier. I was the last one on the Jones. As I ran up the ramp I slapped the control that caused it to raise and shut itself. I sprinted to the cockpit as fast as I could. I took the detonator off of my belt and jamed it into computer slot in a console. I slid into the pilot's couch and grabbed the controls. I activated the anti-gravs and the ship rose off the deck. I nosed it around to face the firing soldiers. Their shots pinged off of the shields. I brought my weapons online and aimed. I fired my phasers, strafing them across the deck. Aliens erupted into searing light left and right. Satisfied I nosed back around to the exit and slammed the throttle forward. Acceleration pushed me into the couch as we sped out of the facility. I reached behind me and flipped the switch on the detonator. The explosives did their dirty work. The engine room exploded, sending shockwaves and surges up and down the facility. Section after section erupted into fire in at least one place. I sped away with my two runabout wingmen back toward the Paladin which was waiting for us two sectors away.  
  
Chapter 10  
"Jones to Paladin, Ready docking port and shuttle bay for reception." I said into the communitcation unit. I had my helmet off and my hair was hanging in my eyes.  
  
"Jones, If you are going to dock you will have to hurry about it, a Jem'hadar warship is quickly approaching." Said Elijah.  
  
"Copy that Elijah, ETA ten minutes, What about that warship."  
  
"ETA five minutes." He said darkly.  
  
"Move the Paladin towards us at full speed. That will shorten our ETA considerably."  
  
"That is correct, updated ETA seven minutes."  
  
I passed all of the information that I had just received to the other two runabouts and I ordered them to take point. I brought my shields on-line and sounded the Red Alert Klaxon.  
  
"Attention, we have a Dominion Battleship on route to our position, ETA five minutes. Our ETA to Paladin is seven minutes. So the last two minutes of our trip we will be under fire, strap yourselves in and brace yourselves. I need two engineering and weapons specialists to make their way to the command deck."  
  
Four men showed up on the bridge.  
  
"I need the weaponists to take the consoles up here, and you two engineering specialists to go down to the engine closet help me to regulate the power to the shields and aft phasers." Two men sat in the chairs infront of two consoles. The other two slid down the ladder.  
  
Precisely at one minute, the battleship dropped out of warp. It was as big as the Paladin and almost twice again as wide. I was about three hundred kilometers away.  
  
"Here we go boys." I said of the intercomm and the transmittor. "Fire at will."  
  
The small ship shuddered as it was hit by energy blasts. We were two minutes away from the Paladin.  
  
"Shields down to sixty-five percent, Damage to deck two, left nacelle is damaged and leaking small amounts of plasma." One of the men informed me.  
  
"Fix it." I said. I was ducking and weaving the ship every way I could think about.  
  
A few seconds later he reported again. " Shields at forty, no twenty percent, power drop off, left nacelle leakage is increasing it may blow, deck three is breached emergency forcefields in place."  
  
"Eject the nacelle, seal all bulkheads on deck three, boost power to shields from weapons and sensors."  
  
"Nacelle ejected, HERE COMES THE PALADIN!" he whooped and shouted.  
  
Sure enough the Paladin was in range. Torpedoes and phasers flashed by our little ship and at the Dominion BS. Oh no, we can't dock while her shields are up!  
  
"Warning, Warning, Warp core is critical, evacuate vessel." Said the computer's voice.  
  
"Shit, Paladin, this is the Audry Jones shields are down, the warp core is going critical, emergency beamout is requested." I jumped away from my controls and down the ladder. I sprinted to the small transporter room. It only had two pads. I immediately worked the controls sending man after man through the buffer and aboard the Paladin who had lowered her aft shields. The process went on for thirty seconds.  
  
"That's it sir, all crew evacutated, we are beaming over you now."  
  
I hopped away from the controls and stood in the middle of the room. I grabbed my helmet and pistol. The transporter beams whisked me away just as the ship turned into a blazing inferno around me.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
" Signal the groups, get us out of here, maximum warp for the wormhole." I barked as I materialized on the bridge of the Paladin."  
  
The ship shook and shuttered as the Dominion warship hit us again and again. I slumped into the Center Seat barely fitting with the combat armour on.  
  
"Aye sir, setting ,course." Said Diana.  
  
A hard blast shook the ship, harder than any before it. The helm console exploded and Diana screamed.  
  
"Medical Emergency on the Bridge!" I said into the comm as Will rushed to her side.  
  
"Computer activate manual steering column." I said. A joystick rose up out of a slot in the floor.  
  
I gripped the stick and spun it on its axis. "Ryan keep firing on that ship."  
  
"Aye sir" he said.  
  
"Sir!" said Josh as another blast shook the ship destroying a science console. "Ship decloaking of the port bow! It's the Defiant!"  
  
"Thank God" I said  
  
"Sisko to Paladin looks like you could use some help here."  
  
"That we could Captain, any help would be welcome."  
  
The Defiant swooped by the screen and opened fire on the DBS.  
  
"Battle Cruiser is turning around Captain!" said Ryan.  
  
"Will take the helm and get us to warp immediately."  
  
He nodded and dropped himself into the chair and worked at the shattered console, seconds later the stars elongated as the ship slipped into warp space.  
  
We spent the next two days evading Dominion ships in order to make our way back towards End Run.  
  
** ** ** ** ** ** *** ** ** ** ** **  
  
The Paladin received some needed down and repair time. All of the repairs took two weeks, at the end of which the Paladin immediately set course for the wormhole with the Defiant. The trip was uneventful at the end of which the crew was allowed shore leave on DS9.  
  
Captain Sisko and I took a runabout to earth for a conference with the admiralty. The end of the conference left me with one feeling, we were going to war.  
  
END BOOK I: Continued in BOOK II 


End file.
